Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1887-04-20
OPENING OF THE TRIAL.
Arenstlorf Answers tho Terrible Charge at
the Bar Of Justice.


Woodbury. County Court House, in which
the noted trial took place, is a large and hand
some building occupying quarter block on
one Of the most conv nient sites in the city.
The basement is used as Jail and residence
for the Sheriffs family, the first floor is occu-
pied by roomy and convenient County Offices,
vaults, etc, and the second floor is devoted to
the court, jury and witness rooms. The cell
ing is high, and the courtroom will hold
when taxed to Its utmo I capacity nearly a
thousand people, yet 1t was crowded through
out almost the whole Of the great trial.
Court convened on the morning of March %,
1857, with Judge Lewis on the be ch. Hon.
NJ. d. O'Connell, of Fort Do lge, States Attor-
ney Marsh l.. T. Hubbard aud Spanlding Il
Taylor, of Sioux City, represented the State,
and Judge J. N. Weaver, Q. c Tredway, M
N. Gray. Judge Pendleton, W G Clark, s F.
City, and G. W Argo, Of L. Mars,
appeared for the defense j he entire day was
consumed in drawing jury, but the twelve
men answering necessary qualifications were
are: John Ucoanor, & G. Bartlett, John
Madden, Thos. Crillcy. Dennis Murphy 9, g.
Goss, Thos Frazer. W. p Panncll, D. Keif-
fer, j. Webster John Adair and John ID.
O'Connel
Iu the afternoon the case was fairly opened
by the speech OH the part OF the state by ii. j.
Taylor The defendant, accompanied 10y his
wife and children, was prominent figure,
and toward him the ewes of hundreds Of cur
ious spectators were directed Arensdorf sat
at ths end OF the long table occupied by g
attorneys, with head erect and eyes looking
straight before him. He occupied this posi-
tion during the whole of the trial, seeming
hardly moved by the most dramatic and thrill
ing incidents brought out 10 testimony.
Mr.. Argo responded to Mr.. Taylor's speech,
promising 10 prove tD the satisfact on OF the
jury that John Arept 1orf could not have
shot and killed Geo. G. Ha1dock on the night
OF August ), 1886, as he was not in the vicinity
Of tho tragedy, and knt nothing about it UNI
til sometime afterward Whether the ev-
idence,' said Mr.. Argo swill satisfy you that
one Harry Lcavitt fired the fatal shot on the
night of the Sd of August last which has
ciused so much sorrow and trouble in this
community, will not at this time undertake
to say but will say that the evidence will
salts you that the defendant was not
concerned in any manner in the
killing of Mr. IIadiock: that the
very first intimaton he had that any person
on earth accused or suspected that he was in
HaddocK was when the officer having tho war
that he had in his possession such an instru-
mont, and even then the defendant thought
the officer was jesting Knowing that be VAS
innocent he could not imagine that any per-
son could be 80 Dase to make such false
accusation against hm The evidence W Il
satisfy you that no person accused the de-
fendant OF being in any manner connected
with the killing Of Mr. Haddock until Harry
J., Leavitt, In order to divert attention from
himself, made what people have called . con-
lcssiOn."